New Unicredit scam, beware of “spoofing”: how to recognize it

With the summer, scam attempts also increase as always. And as we now know, many scams are consumed online, and are potentially much more dangerous, because they can steal sensitive data from us and even, in some cases, empty our current account.

Not only phishing e smishing, the novelty of summer 2021, in addition to the green pass scam, it is spoofing. Computer scams are multiplying by sending an e-mail with the counterfeit logo of a bank or an e-commerce company, in which the recipient is invited to provide confidential data (credit card number, password to access the service home banking, etc.), but also online scams that use mobile phones, through SMS, as an attack platform to request personal data such as social security number or credit card number.

What is spoofing and how to recognize it

Now, we said, cases of spoofing are also starting to spread. Spoofing is a type of cyber attack that employs identity falsification in various ways, spoof precisely, such as the identity of a host within a network or the sender of a message.

Once the scammer manages to impersonate someone else within a network, he can intercept confidential information, spread false and biased information or carry out any type of attack, up to taking all passwords and emptying the current account.

The scam that exploits Unicredit

A wave of scams of this type is affecting Unicredit customers these days. What is happening?

Some customers of the well-known lender are receiving over the phone a SMS that appears to be sent by the bank, in which the potential victim is asked to update their access data to the home banking service.

To carry out the operation, customers are invited to click on the link contained in the text of the message, to which the scammers actually have access, who by receiving the access credentials are able to empty the current account. Spoofing is also used to forge a phone number.

Do’s and Don’ts

For this reason, Unicredit warns, we must be careful of fake call centers that ask their victims for secret codes of credit cards or credentials to access the bank’s internet services.

No financial institution ever sends an SMS asking them to update their account information or to confirm the ATM code. If in doubt, it is always best to contact your bank or merchant directly. Never click on a link or phone number in a message that you are unsure of.

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